Guwahati, June 25 (IANS) Assam Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Kaushik Rai on Thursday visited the Kamakhya Temple atop Nilachal Hills to review the arrangements for the ongoing Ambubachi Mela, one of the country’s largest annual Hindu religious congregations.

The minister inspected facilities put in place for the lakhs of devotees who have converged on the temple from different parts of the country to participate in the annual festival.

He interacted with officials from the district administration, police and temple authorities and assessed the measures taken to ensure smooth crowd management, sanitation, drinking water supply and medical assistance.

Ambubachi Mela, which marks the annual menstruation cycle of Goddess Kamakhya, began after the closure of the temple’s sanctum sanctorum for the customary three-day period. The shrine is scheduled to reopen after the completion of the rituals, following which devotees will be allowed to offer prayers.

Speaking to reporters during his visit, Rai said the state government has accorded top priority to ensuring a safe and comfortable pilgrimage experience for all devotees.

He said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has directed all departments to work in close coordination for the successful conduct of the annual event.

The minister also reviewed arrangements for traffic regulation, security deployment and emergency response mechanisms. He directed officials to remain vigilant round the clock in view of the massive footfall expected over the coming days.

Rai said adequate food distribution, drinking water facilities and temporary shelters have been arranged for pilgrims, while health teams and disaster response personnel have been stationed at strategic locations.

Thousands of sadhus, saints and devotees continue to arrive in Guwahati daily for the festival, considered one of the most significant Shakti Peeth pilgrimages in the country.

The Assam government has deployed multiple agencies to ensure seamless management of the religious congregation and minimise inconvenience to devotees during the annual mela.

–IANS

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